How to Best Wear Cologne

The Rules of Scent

How to smell swell, anytime, anywhere

February 25, 2011

Apply Cologne Close to Your HeartPerfect after a triumphant fifth set or before anything else. "Apply cologne on the places where you can feel the beats of your heart," advises Rochelle Bloom, president of the Fragrance Foundation. This means wrists, the sides of your neck, over your ticker. The throb adds impact to the scent.

Keep It Light"If you're constantly smelling the fragrance, you've applied too much. People should have to get close to you to say, 'Gee, you smell nice,' " says Bloom. A couple of spritzes or splashes is enough.

Don't Clash ScentsYou don't have to use every variation on a fragrance—cologne, aftershave, body wash, deodorant, says Mikel Cirkus, creative director of Firmenich, an aroma manufacturer. One at a time is fine. But make sure the other products don't clash with the scent you choose.

Wake Up with a Midday SplashCologne can beat the 3 p.m. slump, says Mary Ellen Lapsansky, executive director of the Fragrance Foundation. "A quick splash midafternoon is a psychological pick-me-up and keeps you smelling wonderful."

Wear Different Scents for Different SeasonsHeat intensifies any fragrance, and scents are stronger when combined with sweat, says Bloom. That's why an aromatic or citrus scent works in the summer; you can go heavier in the winter.

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